St. Landry democrat., 1887-09-03
THE ,,ilSCHiENOUS MOSQUITO.
Some Observations on the Way of tbs
BlithesOme Little PhlebOtOmist.

some cDSefVatlOnS on the way oi III
Blithesome Little Phlebotomist.
The species of humming-bird most numer-
Gus Just now is the variety known as tIt'
mosquito.
Unlike other hummng- thirds, the mos
quito is snciabIe in her habits, counting TIE
society of man rather than avoiding him.
The mosquito does not court human.
society for mutual improvement. She i
purely selfish in this her only object benz
to glut her appetite for gore.
Although humming-bird, the m"~IuIt"' :
is not a hum, sweet hum. In tact. 1t Is Tar
otherwise, or even more So.
She seems to be stuck on her voice. II /
may be permitted the expression but this
opinion is not shared to any great extent by
the people upon whom she forces her com
pany.
They would rather the mosquito be stuck
Oh fly paper.
An impression prevails among mosquitoes
that mosquito canopc> We're made for Their
special benefit, and they complain bitterly
if the doors Of these airy castles are not Iei'
open for their entrance.
In that case they open the doors with their
night-keys.
Every mosquito carries night-key. Ther
vocal efforts are pitched in it,
The mosquito persistcntly refuses TO takes
hint that her room is more desirable thar
her company.
People have smoked very bad cigars il
rooms where mosquitoes We're making them
selves at home, only to learn that the bird i
very fond of tobacco.
They have saturated themselves with oil q:
pennyrOyal, only to prove to their disSatl>-
faction that its pungent odOr is very grateful
to the mosquito
Whether the taste of the mosquito for
noXious tobacco smoke and earnest oil Of
pennyroyal is natural or acquired, l cannot
say, but it certainly seems to be.
Among other hints, people have been
known to chase the mosquito all over the
room, punctuat!ng their steps with ;frantjc
dabs at her with a wet towel, only to dis
cover that if there is one thing more thau
another which the mosquito thoroughly
enjoys it is physical exercise. She IS al
adept at lodging. and whenever the blow
falls the place that knew her once knows her
no more, but she is perched in place o.
vantage on the other side Of the room. wag-
ging her head derisively, and humming the
latest air.
At such times she also has a tantalizing
way of asking her purSuer if his name is
Dennis.
And it generally is.
The style of mosquitoes varies but little
from year to year, though it is believed by
people who have been thrown in contact
81 / Il. /.
aggressive They are learningt 10 put a keener
edge on their probo>cides, and they intro
duce more vitriol into their victims cuticle
than formerly.
This they can afford to do, as vitriol is
cheaper than it used to be.
To the naked eye the mosquito seems t"
be dressed rather dowdilv but the micro
scope shows that the birds attire is beconl-
ing and even graceful.
The gentleman mosquito wears magenta
trousers dark green coat and pale amber
wings. The lady mosquito is not SO hand
some, but there is more push about her.
She it is that engages in the work of
prora-ating profanity, while her husband
leads life of elegant leisure.
That is why this article refers to the mos
quito as she
The female mosquito is no gentleman.
She goes into the egg-laying business ina
way which would put hen to shame if
that were possible
No little retail trade of one egg day would
satisfy her. She engages in egg producing in
the wholesale line, deposting about 350in all
unconcerned way, and without apparent
fatigue.
All of these eggs are warranted fresh and
guaranteed to hatch. A
She deposits them on the dam , surface of
soft and stagnant water where the shells
won't break, and there they float few days
until they ripen.
They then develop into restless little
worms, sometimes called "wgglers."
From ten to fifteen days after the appear
ance of the ''wigglers'' the immature mos
quitoes enter the pupa state in addition to the /
State they happen to be born in. They take |
on thin skin, almost completely covering
the larva. and roll around in the water,
their motions beng directed by a pin-like |
cOntrivance at the end of the tail.
In about eight days after the pupa appears |
the skin bursts open, the mosquito rises
slowly and deliberately, spreads her wings
and looks for some fat human being to
chew.
1t seems as though the mosquito ought to
be more of an ornament to society than she
is, after passing through such an extensive
There is more trouble over her manufac-
ture THAI over the formation of spring
chicken or an oyster, but she is not half so
popular as either
l am told that in New Jersey, where
attain their full growth, they are
frequently broken to harness. To the
stranger from the United States it must
seem very odd to see a yoke of mosquitoes
pulling pillow, or hitched to a wagon taking
produce to market.
Only in New Jersey are they broken to
harness. In other States the aim is to break
them to pieces.
! am further informed that the New Jersey
farmer also utilities the egg laying proclivi-
les of the bird. He coops up dozen or two
female mosquitoes with the chickens, and
sends their eggs to market with the produce
Of the hen, and they can only be detected by
heir superior size.
Mosquitoes prefer human blood, and are es-
oeclally fond of fat babies. A six-months-
I'D baby, if he be in good condition, will
make satisfying meal for an adult mos
quito.
They eat their prey raw